


Our Fight Is Not Yet Over

by JBK405



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Canon Divergence, Diverging from end of 307 - "Thirteen", F/F, Plot parallel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2016-03-14
Packaged: 2018-05-24 19:01:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6163369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JBK405/pseuds/JBK405
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The continuing adventures of Lexa, <i>Heda</i> of the Coalition of 12 Clans, after she thwarts Titus's attempt on Clarke's life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Thirteen, Take Two

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The entire fandom of The 100 and everybody who suffered through the ending of "Thirteen"](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=The+entire+fandom+of+The+100+and+everybody+who+suffered+through+the+ending+of+%22Thirteen%22).



> This is going to be a parallel story to the continuing _The 100_ series, with one chapter released after each future episode of the show. I will attempt to tell the story as it **should** have been, rather than what was forced upon us. I expect the plot to diverge very heavily very quickly, as I'm sure Lexa would have found some way to blunt whatever idiocy the Arkadians and Grounders think up next, but I suppose we will all need to find out.
> 
> Following chapters might be longer than this one, as we will be dealing with entire episodes instead of just the back end. Additional character and plot Tags will be added as the story develops.

Lexa hesitated at the head of the hallway that lead to where Clarke had entered her room, fighting the urge to turn and follow her into her chambers.  They had already said their goodbyes-- _more_ than their goodbyes--and she knew there was nothing to be gained by forcing herself through that same ordeal again.  It would not hurt any less to hear Clarke say she was leaving for the second time, she knew that, but she still felt the same pull down the hallway because she also knew that one last echo of Clarke's voice, one last glimpse of the back of her head as she rode away, would be just as beautiful as the time before.  She hoped, believed,  _knew_ that they would meet again, but she still craved just one more second, one last  _instant_ , to spend with the woman who had fallen from the sky and changed her world in so many ways.  In  _every_ way.

 

The sound of gunfire stole the luxury of choice from her.

 

Even as she ran towards Clarke's door she recognized the noise and considered all that it meant; there should not have been any guns within the tower, nor anywhere in Polis at all.  The weapons of the Mountain Men had been known and feared by all the clans for ages, and the Sky People had wielded their own firearms against the Mountain and Trikru.  None of the Kongeda would use such a weapon, the Mountain had visited bloody retribution on the entire village of anyone who so much as held a gun and even with the Fall of the Mountain her people's fear ran deep, and the Sky People--Her thoughts came to a sudden halt just as she reached the door and she thought again of _the Sky People._  The new Chancellor, Pike, had shown himself to be drunk with blood, he had been steeped in it so much that he craved ever more, could he have thought to send assassins into Polis?  Assassins to target  _Clarke_?  The thought stole the breath from her and she almost barged directly through the door upright, but she held herself at the realization that if the assassins were after her as well she would only give them the clearest opportunity to strike her directly.  Instead, she kicked the door, which was not latched and still hung partly open, and dove through in a rolling tumble.

 

She heard the sound of another gunshot and felt the passage of the bullet pass over her, close enough to tug at the hair which was still loose, as she sprang back onto her feet.

 

"Lexa?" The one word coming from Clarke's lips, filled with surprise at her sudden appearance but without the marks of pain or injury, rushed through Lexa like rejuvenation itself.  She sent thanks to the spirits of the Commanders who came before her that she had been fast enough to arrive before the assassin had managed to strike her.  That she had been close enough to hear the gunfire at all.  She did not, however, waste any time in saying such thanks aloud; she knew the Sky People weapons, knew that you could not dodge them or knock their attacks aside, all you could do was dodge the person  _wielding_ it.  Strike them before they could use its power.  With Clarke's voice still ringing in her ears Lexa continued the forward motion of her roll and dove towards the figure lying on the ground with weapon outstretched, spinning wide and lashing out to kick the gun aside and out of its user's grip.  Even as she did, though, she recognized the figure, and as she felt herself make contact and knock the gun across the floor she briefly wished that she  _had_ been struck by the bullet as she came through the door rather than be forced to face what was now before her.  Because it was no Sky People assassin who lay on the floor of Clarke's chambers, nor even some unknown Mountain threat or Trikru warrior driven to vengeance.

 

It was Titus.

 

Titus, the Flamekeeper, who had mentored her and guided her in the ways of command, whose counsel she had trusted above all others.  Whose loyalty she had never doubted.  Whose loyalty she  _still_ did not doubt, because even as he lay prostrate on the floor, Lexa knew what he had intended.  The Sky Person bound and gagged behind him--who she recognized as one of the original 100 Sky People first sent to Trikru land--made it all too obvious what he had intended.  Just like Gustus before him, Titus hoped to save her from herself, hoped to protect her by tricking her, lying to her,  _manipulating_ her.  By framing this Sky Person for what he himself had done, and all to fan the flames of war.  He was still loyal--he simply did not think she was competent enough or smart enough or capable enough to be  _worthy_ of that loyalty, which in the end made his loyalty worth less than honest enmity.

 

"Why?" Even though she already knew the answer she had to ask the question, _had_ to hear his answer.  Outside the room she could hear running footsteps, recognized her guards attracted by the sounds of battle, but they held outside.  It was still just her, Clarke, that bound Sky Person, and Titus.  "Speak true."

 

Titus's eyes were focused on the gun where Lexa had kicked it, but he was not contemplating grabbing it, it was instead as though he was reliving what he had almost done with it.  "This peace will cost you your life, _Heda_.  I cannot let that happen."  Even the words were almost identical to Gustus's.

 

 _This treachery will cost you yours_.   The words came to her mind so clearly, the same as she had spoken the many months ago when faced with the same betrayal.  She did not even have to think about them, she knew what to say.  Under the Laws there could be no other punishment, no other retribution for this affront to the Commander.  She could stand for nothing less after an attempt to murder Clarke.  Murder **Clarke**.  The very thought made her blood surge as it had not even when she looked upon Queen Nia before she flung her spear, made her thoughts rage more deeply than at any cruelty the Mountain had ever visited upon her people.  For all of it, for Clarke, for her people, for  _herself_ , there was no other alternative.   _Jus drein jus daun._

 

"Guards!"  At her call they were suddenly at her side, willing to enact Titus's execution right then if she so desired, or to bring him to the Tree for the full process.  All she had to do was give the order, speak his death, and it would be.  All she had to do... "Arrest him," she heard herself say, "and hold him."  As her guards shouldered their way past her to grab Titus, dragging him towards the doorway, she caught sight again of the bound Sky Person and took note of the obvious wounds he bore.  "And send for a healer."  Then the guards were out again, and before Lexa could think of anything more or say anything more she felt Clarke rush up against her and everything  _stopped_ as she simply  _felt_ again.

 

"It's okay, everything's all right." Lexa heard herself speak, but it came out with its own echo and she realized that Clarke had spoken at the same time, and she could not help but smile as she realized that for each of them their first thought had been to reassure the other.  Clarke let out a small gasp of laughter and shook her head, a slight smile on her face, then turned aside as a groan reached them both and they remembered that there was still another person bound and gagged in the room with them.

 

"Oh, god, Murphy," Clarke said, and rushed to his side, undoing his restraints and rapidly as she could.  "What happened?"

 

His first words were garbled by the gag still forced in his mouth, but when Clarke removed that cloth at last he gasped "Your Grounders  _suck_ ," and his head lolled back as sarcastic chuckles wracked his body.

 

"That may be so," Clarke agreed, "But they are  _ours_ ," and she looked up and smiled at Lexa as she came over to help lay him flat for the healer's treatment.

 

* * *

 

 

After the healer had seen to Murphy, and Lexa had seen to Titus's confinement, Clarke and Lexa found themselves once again alone in Lexa's chambers.  Without any attendants or the press of urgency it seemed quieter and larger than ever, particularly after what had passed that day.  Glancing up at the sun's position through the window, Clarke let herself fall on to the couch and sighed.  "I missed Octavia, she's gone by now."

 

"Yes, you did," Lexa said, "but..."  She could not bring herself to finish the thought.  All of the reasons that Clarke had for returning to Arkadia still held as true now as they did hours ago, Titus's betrayal changed nothing.  It might have even made it more urgent for her to return, for Lexa's position might have grown even more tenuous since she had lost one of her strongest supporters, who held authority and respect amongst the 12 Clans on his own.  If Clarke could not persuade the Sky People to change their own ways, if she could not help forge a true and lasting peace, Lexa feared that Titus's prediction might come true of its own accord.

 

"But..." Clarke echoed softly, and her soft expression said that she had had all the same thoughts that Lexa had just run through.   _Maybe someday, you and I will owe nothing more to our people_.  Clarke's words from earlier ran through Lexa's mind again, and again she wished that that day had arrived, but they both knew they had not reached that point yet.  Not for all that their hearts desired.

 

"It will not be safe for you to travel at night.  Not alone, and not with Murphy.  I will have you escorted back to Arkadia in the morning."

 

"That will be after the kill order takes effect," Clarke reminded.  Not challenging, but just raising the point.

 

"Yes, it will be," Lexa agreed, "but you will be safe.  I will not send you out to die in the dark, and I will not let my people harm you because one of their own tried to defy me."  She paused and then repeatedly more firmly, "I will not let my people harm you.  You will be safe until then...with me."  The final two words were almost an afterthought, uttered so softly, as if Lexa was still afraid that Clarke might recoil from the concept.

 

In response, Clarke reached up and grabbed hold of Lexa's arms, pulling her down to lay beside her on the couch.  "Then we will be safe together until the morning."

 

The lights in both of their eyes did not require any words for understanding.


	2. Thirteen, Take Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next episode, "Terms & Conditions", did not connect to the Polis plot line directly, so I'm not going to do a re-write for this chapter. What I **will** do, however, is bring us another short reinterpretation of "Thirteen" where Clarke manages to keep Titus from pulling the trigger in the first place. We all know Lexa is a badass, but so is Clarke, and she should have been able to handle that situation as well in her own fashion.

"She might even be angry enough to declare _war!_ " Titus's voice seemed to echo in Clarke's bedroom as he thrust the pistol towards her, and Clarke knew that he was about to pull the trigger, she could tell that he was not going to stop himself.  It was not just the way his fingers tightened on the grip, it was the way his eyes focused and his expression cleared as his voice roared: He was going to shoot.  Clarke had seen that same moment of decision many times before-- _too_ many times--and she realized that he had already closed the door in his mind.  She could not wait any longer or let him come to a realization on his own.

 

"Wait," she said, and it came out almost quietly.  It was not a shout or a scream, was not a desperate order in the hopes that that it might have gotten Titus to hold for a fraction of a second because it was Wanheda speaking, but it was not a plaintive beg, either.  It was calm and steady and even, filled with pain and assurance at the same time, and she could see the minute, minuscule relaxation of Titus's finger on the trigger of the gun as he reacted almost instinctually to her tone.  "Lexa still blames herself for Costia," she continued, and though he did not physically move, Clarke could imagine Titus rocked back at the words.

 

"That was one of the very first things she ever said to me.  Back when...after Finn, she told me about what happened to Costia.  What the Ice Queen..." Clarke's voice almost broke at the memory, the still-hot pain of Finn's loss and the commiserate ache she felt through Lexa.  "She told me that the Ice Queen had taken Costia because she was Lexa's, to learn Lexa's secrets and to hurt her. That's how she still thinks of it; that it was her fault.  Lexa has carried that ever since, even now.  Even after she killed Nia, and after we...she still carries that with her.  That blame, that self-hate, is still roiling beneath the surface, and she believes that she brings that doom on the people close to her, she thinks that she is cursed to never be able to love or be with anyone.  If you kill me  _because of Lexa_..."  She grew harsher as she finished, the passion beginning to bleed out into her voice, but Titus did not flinch back from her anger, and his fist did not re-clench.

 

"Think about how much  **this** will hurt.  Even if you _do_ manage to blame this on Murphy," Clarke could see Murphy's head begin to nod as she spoke, slowly awakening from the torpor that he had been beaten into, "if you convince her this was an attack by my people instead of you, she's going to blame  _herself_ , and it will make every doubt and fear she has come true.  And you have to know that you won't be able to pull that off anyway, please, you _need_ to realize that.  Lexa is...she's not just smart, she looks for the truth.  She'll figure this out.  You know how much Gustus's betrayal hurt her, how much it tore her apart to have to execute him afterwards.  For you to do the same thing....this will kill her.   _You_ will kill her."  Clarke glanced up from the gun in Titus's hand, which was almost shaking now, and looked him directly in the eye.  "This won't help her.  Not at all.  This won't keep the peace with the 12 Clans, and it won't solve the problem with the Sky People.  All you will do is  _make it harder_.  Please, put the gun down.  Not for me, don't do it for me, and don't do it for yourself.  Do it for Lexa.  Show that you're loyal not just to the position, not just the figurehead, but to  **her**.  Show that you love her enough for this.  Please."  Her tone now _had_  become plaintive, beseeching, and she saw the struggle under way behind Titus's cover. The turmoil that chased itself around and around.

 

"She is right, Titus."  Both of them started at the quiet voice from the doorway, neither had heard it open, and they turned to face the figure framed in its opening.  "You know she is right."

 

Titus's arm swung towards the doorway in ingrained reflex, but even before he had finished tracking he gasped in surprise at the realization of who had come upon them and threw his hand to the side rather than point the gun at Lexa .  She stood straight and tall, without an expression of hate or fear on her features, but Titus fell to his knees before her.  "Heda, I...I never meant...I only wanted to help you."  She did not interrupt him, and his words tumbled out in a pile.  "To keep you safe and secure in your position, all I ever wanted...I just wanted to..." His words ran dry on their own before the icy steel in her eyes, and he lowered his gaze as she stepped forward.  Instead of walking to him, she stepped around him and walked over the Clarke, and Titus shrank in on himself as she passed.

 

"Are you okay?" Lexa asked, barely louder than a whisper, and Clarke's knees grew weak at the fear in her breath, Lexa's fear for  _her_ safety.  She almost fell into Lexa's arms, and for a few seconds she did not respond in words at all, letting their embrace be the reassurance alone.

 

"I'm okay," Clarke finally managed to get out, and now her previously-controlled voice was thick with the tension and fear that had permeated the room.  Her breathing came heavy, and at every gasp she took in the smell and texture and  **feel** of Lexa.  "He didn't...I'm okay."  Titus was still in the room, but Clarke had already forgotten him as she hovered on the verge of tears.  "But I was so scared, so afraid that if he did shoot I...I might have  _lost_ you."  She buried herself into the nape of Lexa's neck, holding her tightly, and she did not see the way that Lexa's own expression almost crumbled at her words.

 

"That is never going to happen," Lexa said, and even though her words were soft for Clarke, they held plenty of iron for Titus, who cringed as he felt them impact.  "No matter what, we will never lose each other."  Drawing back, she held Clarke in front of her and found her gaze, "Our spirits are entwined, in this life and the next.  They cannot be broken, not by any being who walks this Ground, who came before or who will come after.  I pledged myself to you before, and not even the Commanders Who Came Before can break that."  Turning to face Titus, Lexa looked down on him beside Clarke, and Titus twitched back from the combined  **power** of their gazes.

 

"We will not be broken."


End file.
